3 Gaston residents charged in ATM theft spree

Jim Conner, right, and Michael Riley do repair work at Needmore conveniences store. Police say three Gaston County suspects stole a van from Ambassador Baptist College in Cleveland County, and then crashed it into the building in order to steal an ATM.

Ben Earp/Halifax Media Services

By Molly Phipps/Halifax Media Services

Published: Tuesday, January 14, 2014 at 11:34 PM.

Three Gaston County residents were arrested Tuesday after county authorities say they stole a van and used it to ram a convenience store on Washburn Switch Road to steal an ATM.

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman said the three may be connected to a rash of other break-ins in Cleveland and Gaston counties in the past two weeks.

Octavius Parks, of Belmont, and Khadijah Banks, of Gastonia, are each being held under $500,000 secured bonds and are charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, breaking and entering, and possession of stolen goods following Tuesday’s incident.

Anton Smith, whose last known address was Bessemer City, was the third person involved, Norman said. He led police on a 12-hour manhunt before he was caught by sheriff’s office deputies shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday, Norman said.

“We located him just off Casar Road on Jackson White Road,” Norman said. “Deputy Etters saw movement at the edge of a wood line and the deputies convened on the wood line. That’s where he was at.”

Norman said Smith would face the same charges as Banks and Parks, and he would likely face additional traffic charges.

The van was stolen from Ambassador Baptist College shortly after 2 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Three Gaston County residents were arrested Tuesday after county authorities say they stole a van and used it to ram a convenience store on Washburn Switch Road to steal an ATM.

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman said the three may be connected to a rash of other break-ins in Cleveland and Gaston counties in the past two weeks.

Octavius Parks, of Belmont, and Khadijah Banks, of Gastonia, are each being held under $500,000 secured bonds and are charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, breaking and entering, and possession of stolen goods following Tuesday’s incident.

Anton Smith, whose last known address was Bessemer City, was the third person involved, Norman said. He led police on a 12-hour manhunt before he was caught by sheriff’s office deputies shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday, Norman said.

“We located him just off Casar Road on Jackson White Road,” Norman said. “Deputy Etters saw movement at the edge of a wood line and the deputies convened on the wood line. That’s where he was at.”

Norman said Smith would face the same charges as Banks and Parks, and he would likely face additional traffic charges.

The van was stolen from Ambassador Baptist College shortly after
2 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

“The culprits went to the Needmore store on Washburn Switch Road by PPG, where they rammed the van through the front of the store,” Norman said. “Once they had successfully made entry into the storefront with the van, they removed an ATM from the store.”

Employees estimated the damage to the Needmore store at $25,000 to $30,000 and said the store has no insurance to repair the damage.

Sheriff’s office deputies were given a vehicle description by witnesses and, a short time later, Deputy Steve Hunt passed the van in the Polkville area and started a vehicle stop, Norman said.

Parks and Banks were in a car behind the van, and they were arrested by deputies, he said. The ATM was found inside the van. Norman said the driver, Smith, ran from police.

“I want to commend the men and women at the sheriff’s office and the assistance we received today from the highway patrol that led to this 12-hour manhunt,” he said.

“We were prepared to stay as long as it took in order to take this individual.”

Smith was also wanted for an obstruction of justice charge from Gaston County, Norman said.

“This case will be an ongoing investigation,” he said. “These are individuals that are persons of interest in York County, Gaston County and Mecklenburg County for the same types of crimes.”

Those crimes — involving a stolen van, a rammed convenience store, and attempts to steal an ATM — have recurred since December.

The first was on Dallas-Cherryville Highway on
Dec. 23, then on Dec. 28, a similar incident happened in Kings Mountain. In Gastonia, thieves robbed a store on Archie Whitesides Road on Jan. 3. All were attempts to steal ATMs.